. QUESTION STYLES AND OBJECTIVES IN THE QUR’ĀN

 

  QUESTION STYLES AND OBJECTIVES IN THE QUR’ĀN

          The objectives of question in the Qur’ān are either genuine called   الْاسْتِفْهَامُ الْحَقْيْقِي(genuine question) or ingenuine called الْاسْتِفْهَامُ غَيْرُالْحَقْيْقِي (ingenuine question).

A.   الْاسْتِفْهَامُ الْحَقْيْقِي (genuine question)

Muslim scholars agree that Allah does not ask any genuine question in the Qur’ān in the sense that He does not know the answer, as He knows everything, He is the All-Knower (الْعَلِيْم). Therefore, any question given by Allah is always ingenuine, majāz  (metaphor, figurative speech). He might ask question to let others know the answer. The genuine questions are from other than Him and are few compared to the ingenuine questions.

B.    الْاسْتِفْهَامُ غَيْرُالْحَقْيْقِي (ingenuine question).

          Jalāl al- Dīn al-Suyūṭī (d. 911/1505) in his Itqān mentioned thirty-two different objectives for Qur’ānic questions, whereas Badr al-Dīn al-Zarkashī (d.     ) in his al-Burhān mentioned twenty-eight only, but with more specifications and details. We shall deal with the 32 objectives consulting al-Zarkashī’s commentary, as follows:

1.    الْانْكَار (al-inkār), renunciation. The term inkār means: denial, disavowal, negation, contestation; refusal, rejection, non-acceptance. Abū ’l-Su‘ūd divides inkiār  into two main categories, namely,  (a) denying that something has occurred which he calls  انْكَارُ الْوَاقِع(inkāru ’l-wāqi’), namely, rejecting the fact, or (b) denying the possibility of the occurrence of something, which he calls انْكَارُ الْوُقُوْع  (inkāru ’l-wuqū‘), namely, rejecting that something can happen, with the following details:

a.       انْكَارُ الْوَاقِع  (inkāru ’l-wāqi’), is either:

(i)     in positive case (فِي الايجاب)  to indicate its ugliness and disgracefulness, and reproach of its doer, such as in the  following verses:

وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ أَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُمْ بِهَا مِنْ

أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ (الأعراف:۸۰)

And (remember) Lūt (Lot) when he said to his

 people: “Do you com it the worst sin such as

 none preceding you has committed in th

e ‘Ālamīn (mankind and jinn)?

(Q. 7:80)

 

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَامًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا

زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا (الكهف:۷٤)

Then they both proceeded till they met a boy, and

he (al-Khidr) killed him. [Mūsā (Moses) said: “Have

 you killed an innocent person who had killed none?

 Verily, you have committed a thing Nukra

 (a great Munkar – prohibited, evil,

 dreadful thing)!” (Q. 18:74)

 

(ii)        in negative case (فِي النَّفْي)  , namely, renunciation for not doing something , such as in the following verses:

 

لَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَابًا فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (الأنبياء:۱۰)

Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind)

 a Book (the Qur‘ān) in which there is Dhikrukum’

 (your Reminder or an honour for you, i.e. honour

 for the one who follows the teaching of the

 Qur’ān and acts on its teachings). Will you

not then understand? (Q. 21:10)[1]

 

وَإِلَى عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ

 إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (الأعراف:٦٥)

And to ‘Ād (people, We sent) their brother Hūd.

He said: “O my people! Worship Allah! You have

no other Ilāh (God) but Him.  Lā ilāha illallāh:

none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.)

 Will you not fear (Allah)?” (Q. 7:65)[2]

وَجَاءَهُ قَوْمُهُ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَمِنْ قَبْلُ كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ هَؤُلَاءِ بَنَاتِي هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ

فِي ضَيْفِي أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَشِيدٌ (هود:۷۸)

And his people came rushing towards him, and

since afore time they used to commit crimes

 (sodomy), he said: “O my people~! Here are

 my daughters, (i.e. the women of the nation),

they are  purer for you (if you marry them

 lawfully). So fear Allah and disgrace me not

with regard to my guests! Is there not among

 you a sing right-minded man?” (Q. 11:78)

 

b.  انْكَارُ الْوُقُوْع  (inkāru ’l-wuqū‘), is either:

(i)     in positive case (فِي الايجاب)  to indicate its non-occurrence, that it is unlikely to happen, the claimant deserves ridicule, and it would be miracle if it did really happen, such as in the following verses:

أَفَعَيِينَا بِالْخَلْقِ الْأَوَّلِ بَلْ هُمْ فِي لَبْسٍ مِنْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ (ق:۱٥)

Were we then tired with the first creation?

 Nay, they are in confused doubt about  a new

creation (i.e. Resurrection) (Q. 50:15)

 

أَصْطَفَى الْبَنَاتِ عَلَى الْبَنِينَ (الصافات:۱٥۳)

 Has He (then) chosen daughter rather than

sons? (Q. 37:153)

 

(ii)   in negative case (فِي النَّفْي) to indicate confirmation of its occurrence, such as in the following verse:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا لَوْلَا أُوتِيَ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ

 مُوسَى أَوَلَمْ يَكْفُرُوا بِمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْلُ قَالُوا سِحْرَانِ

 تَظَاهَرَا وَقَالُوا إِنَّا بِكُلٍّ كَافِرُونَ (القصص:٤۸)

But when the truth (i.e. Muhammad with his Message) has come to them from Us, they say: “Why is he not given theb like of what was given to Mūsā (Moses)? Did they not disbelievekin that which was given to Mūsā (Moses) of old?” They say: “Two kinds of magic [the Taurāt (Torah) and the Qur’ān], each helping the other!” And they say: “Verily, in both we are disbelievers.” (Q. 28:48)

 

It could happen in the past as a warning and a deterrent that it should not happen in future, such as:

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا

أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَسُولًا (الاسراء:۹٤)

And nothing prevented men from believing when the

 guidance came to them, except that they said: “Has

Allah sent a man as (His) Messenger?” (Q. 17:94)

 

It could happen in the present to indicate its occurrence at present and in future, such as:

أَتُتْرَكُونَ فِي مَا هَاهُنَا آمِنِينَ (الشعراء:۱٤٦)

“Will you be left secure in that which you

have here …?”

(Q.  26:146)

 

تَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ

أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (البقرة:٤٤)

Enjoin  you Al-Birr (

2.    التَّوْبِيْخ (al-tawbīkh), admonishing (reproof, reproach, censure, reprimand, rebuke). It indicates that it is not only rejecting what has happened, but also reproaching it, namely, doing what is not supposed to do, and vice-versa, namely, not doing what is supposed to do, such as in the following verses:

قُلْ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا وَاللَّهُ

 هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ المائدة:۷٦)

 (Q. 5:76)

 

قَالَ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ. وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (الصافات:۹٥-۹٦)

(Q. 37:95-96)

 

وَهُمْ يَصْطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي

كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُمْ مَا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَنْ تَذَكَّرَ وَجَاءَكُمُ النَّذِيرُ

 فَذُوقُوا فَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ نَصِيرٍ (فاطر:۳۷)

(Q. 3537)

 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنْتُمْ قَالُوا

كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً

 فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا فَأُولَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءَتْ

مَصِيرًا (النساء:۹۷)

 (Q. 4:97)

 

 

3.    التَّقْرِيْر (al-taqrīr), confirmation. It is making a person confirm and admit what has happened.[3]   A confirmative expression is an affirmation, and therefore it is followed by a clear affirmation, or following a clear affirmation.  The examples of being followed by a clear affirmation are as follows:

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ. وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ. الَّذِي أَنْقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ (الشرح:۱-۳)

 (Q. 94:3)

أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَى. وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَى (الضحى:٦-۷)

(Q. 93:6-7)

 

أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ .وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ (الفيل:۲-۳)

(Q. 105:2-3)

 

أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِالَّذِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِ وَمَنْ

 يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ (الزمر:۳٦)

 

The example of following a clear affirmation is as follows:

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءُوا قَالَ أَكَذَّبْتُمْ بِآيَاتِي وَلَمْ تُحِيطُوا بِهَا عِلْمًا

 أَمَّاذَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (النمل:۸٤)

(Q. 27:84)

As a matter of fact this kind of question indicating  confirmation is that negating a negation is a confirmation which is a strong affirmation.

4.      التَّعَجُّبْ او التَّعْجِيْب (al-ta‘ajjub  or al-ta‘jīb), surprise (amazement or admiration), such as the following verses:

كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنْتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (البقرة:۲۸)

(Q. 2:28)

 

وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لَا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَ

(الصافات:النمل:۲۰)

(Q. 27:20)

 

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا (مريم:۲۹)

(Q. 19:29)

 

A question may include many objectives, such as,

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ

 أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (البقرة:٤٤)

 

 (Q. 2:44)

In this verse the question includes  taqrīr (confirmation), tawbīkh )admonition(, and ta‘ajjub (surprise).

   A genuine question and a surprise could also be included in one question, such as:

 

سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا... (البقرة:۱٤۲)

(Q. 2:142)

 

 

5.    الْعِتَاب (al-‘itāb), critique,  such as in the following verses:

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ (الحديد:۱٦)

 (Q. 57:16)

According to Ibn Mas‘ūd this critique of Allah came only four years after they had embraced Islam.

Among the most lenient critique of Allah towards the Prophet s.a.w. when He said,

عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْكَ لِمَ أَذِنْتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا

وَتَعْلَمَ الْكَاذِبِينَ (التوبة:٤۳)

(Q. 9:43)

 

6.    التَّذْكِيْر (al-tadhkīr), reminding, as in the following verses:

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ لَا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ (يس:٦۰)

 (Q. 36:60)

 

... فَلَمَّا أَنْبَأَهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ

 وَالْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ (البقرة:۳۳)

(Q. 2:33)

 

قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ (يوسف:۸۹)

(Q. 12:89)

 

 

7.      الافْتِخَار (al-iftikhār), (showing pride, bosting, bagging), such as in the following verse:

 

وَنَادَى فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ

 تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِي أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ (الزخرف:٥۱)

 

 (Q. 43:51)

 

 

8.    التَّفْخِيْم   (al-tafkhīm), (showing respect), such as:

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا

 مَالِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُوا

 مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا (الكهف:٤۹)

 (Q. 18:49)

9.    التَّهْوِيْل وَالتَّخْوِيْف (al-tahwīl wa ’l-takhwīf), warning and threatening

الْحَاقَّةُ . مَا الْحَاقَّةُ (الحاقة:۱-۲)

(Q. 39:1-2)

 

الْقَارِعَةُ. مَا الْقَارِعَةُ (الْقَارِعَةُ:۱-۲)

(Q. 101:1-2)

 

10.    التّسْهِيْل وَالتَّخْفِيف (al-tashīl wa’l-takhfīf), easing and facilitating ,msuch as in the following verse:

وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا النساء:۳۹)

 (Q. 4:39)

11.    التَّهْدِيْدُ وَ الْوَعِيْد (al-tahdīd wa ’l-wa ‘īd), threat and menace, such as:

أَلَمْ نُهْلِكِ الْأَوَّلِينَ (المرسلات:۱٦)

 

 (Q. 77:16)

 

12.    لتكثير al-takthīr), showing abundance, such as:

وَكَمْ مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَائِلُونَ (الاغراف:٤)

 (Q. 7:4)

 

13.    التَّسْوِيَة  (al-taswiyah), drawing equal conclusions, such as:

 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (البقرة:٦)

(Q. 2:6)

 

14.    الامْر (al-amr), command, as in the following verses:

... وَقُلْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْأُمِّيِّينَ أَأَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُوا فَقَدِ اهْتَدَوْا

 وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ... (ال عمران:۲۰)

(Q. 3:20)

 

أَأَسْلَمْتُمْ = اسلموا

 

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ

 وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ (المائدة:۹۱)

 (Q. 5:91)[4]

 

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًا (الفرقان:۲۰)

 

 (Q. 25:20)

 

 

15.    التَّنْبِيْه (al-tanbīh), alerting  (notification) indicating command, such as:

 

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا

 ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًا (الفرقان:٤٥)

(Q. 25:45)

 

 

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَتُصْبِحُ الْأَرْضُ مُخْضَرَّةً

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ (الحج:٦۳)

(Q. 22:63)

 

        There are 31 verses in the Qur’ān which start with أَلَمْ تَرَ meaning “don’t you see, don’t you perceive, don’t you consider, etc.” intended as commands, “see!”, “perceive!” consider!

” etc.

 

16.    التَّرْغِيْب (al-targhīb), awakening  of a desire or longing; attraction, incitement to covetousness, such as:

مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً

 وَاللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ البقرة:۲٤٥)

 

(Q. 2:245)

 

 

مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ

 وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ (الحديد:۱۱)

 (Q. 57:11)

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنْجِيكُمْ

 مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (الصف:۱۰)

 (10)[5]

 

17.    النَّهْي  (al-nahy), instruction of  abstinence, such as in the following verses:

 

أَلَا تُقَاتِلُونَ قَوْمًا نَكَثُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا بِإِخْرَاجِ الرَّسُولِ وَهُمْ بَدَءُوكُمْ

 أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْشَوْهُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (التوبة:۱۳)

(Q. 9:13)

This is self evident when Allah says,

... فَلَا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ... (المائدة:٤٤)

(Q. 5:44)

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ (الانفطار:٦)

(Q. 82:6)

 

 

18.    الدُّعَاء (al-du‘ā), supplication, a kind of prohibition requested by a person from low class to one of higher class, from Allah’s servant to Him, as in the4 following verse:

... قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا

 فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا ... (الأعراف:۱٥٥)

(Q.7:155)

 

19.    الاسترشَاد (al-istirshād), search for guidance, such as:

 

... قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ

بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ... (البقرة:۳۰)

(Q. 2:30)

 

20.    التَّمَنِّي(al-tamannī),longing, as in the verse:

... يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ قَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَلْ

 لَنَا مِنْ شُفَعَاءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا لَنَا أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي

 كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ... (الأعراف:53)

(Q. 7:53)

 

 

21.    الاسْتِبْطَاء (al-istibṭā’), wishing delay

 

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ

مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

 مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ (البقرة:۲۱٤)

22.    الْعَرْض (al-‘arḍ), making an offer, as in the verse:

... وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ

وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (النور:۲۲)

(Q. 24:22)

23.    التَّحْضِيْض (al-taḥḍī), (incitement, inducement, prodding, prompting, instigation), as in the verse:

أَلَا تُقَاتِلُونَ قَوْمًا نَكَثُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا بِإِخْرَاجِ الرَّسُولِ وَهُمْ

 بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ... (التوبة:۱۳)

(Q. 9:13)

24.    التَّجَاهُل (al-tajāhul), ignoring, as in the verse:

أَأُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ ذِكْرِي بَلْ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ (ص:۸) (Q. 38:8)

 

25.    التَّعْظِيْم (al-ta‘īm), (aggrandizement, glorification, exaltation,

... مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ... (البقرة:۲٥٥)

(Q. 2:255)

 

26.    التَّحْقِيْر  (al-taqīr), (contempt, disdain, scorn; degradation, humiliation, abasement, as in the verse:

وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَذَا الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَهُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ (الانبيياء:۳٦)

(Q. 21:36)

27.    الاِكْتِفَاء  (al-iktifā), showing sufficiency,  as in the verse:

وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَرَى الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ وُجُوهُهُمْ مُسْوَدَّةٌ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ (الزمر:٦۰)

 (Q. 39:60)

 

28.    الاِسْتِبْعَاد (al-istib‘ād), omitting, as in the verse:

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى (الفجر:۲۳)

 (Q. 89:23)

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (يس:٤۸)

 

29.    الاِيْنَاس (al-īnās), (intimacy, friendliness), as in the verse:

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَى (طه:۱۷)

 (Q. 20:17)

30.    التَّهَكمُ وَالاِسْتِهْزَاء  (al-tahakkum wa ’l-istihzā),  mockery, secorn, as in the verse:

 

 

 

قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ أَصَلَاتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ نَتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا أَوْ أَنْ نَفْعَلَ

 فِي أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَاءُ إِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّشِيدُ (هود:۸۷)

(Q. 11:87)

 

فَرَاغَ إِلَى آلِهَتِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ (91) مَا لَكُمْ لَا تَنْطِقُونَ (الصافات:۹۱-۹۲)

(Q. 37:91-92)

 

31.    التَّاكِيْد  (al-ta’kīd), (emphasis), as in the verse:

أَفَمَنْ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ كَلِمَةُ الْعَذَابِ أَفَأَنْتَ تُنْقِذُ مَنْ فِي النَّارِ (الزمر:۱۹)

 (Q. 39:19)

32.    الاِخْبَار  (al-ikhbār), a medium of information, as in the following verses:

أَفِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ أَمِ ارْتَابُوا أَمْ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَحِيفَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَرَسُولُهُ بَلْ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (النور:٥۰)

 

 (Q. 24:50)

 

 

المراجع:

جلال الدين السيوطي (ت. ۹۱۱\۱٥۰٥). الإتقان في علوم القران. ج ۲, ص ۲۱۲-۲۱۷

عبد العليم السيد فوده. أساليب الاستفهام في القران. القاهرة: رسالة ماجستير, ۱۹٥۳

عبد الكريم محمود يوسف. أسلوب الاستهام في القران الكريم. دمشق, ۱۹۹۹م



[1] The term أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ is mentioned 13 (thirteen) times in the Qur’ān, and the remaining are: Q. 2:44, 76; 3:65; 6:32; 7:169; 10:16; 11:51; 12:109; 21:67; 23:80; 28:60; and 37: 138.

[2] The term أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ in mentioned 5 (five) times in the Qur’ān, and  the remaining are: Q. 10:31; 23:23, 33, and 87.

[3] Abū Ḥayyān reported from Sībawayh that in the question meant confirmation the particle هَلْ  (hal) is not used, but rather the particle hamzah  أ  (a), but some grammarians say that  the particle  هَلْ  (hal) is also used to indicate تَقْرِيْر (confirmation) as in the following verse هَلْ فِي ذَلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِذِي حِجْرٍ (الفجر:٥)  There are indeed in them (the above oaths) sufficient proofs for men of understanding (and that they should avoid all kinds of sins and disbeliefs!” (Q. 89:5).  In the above translation the particle هَلْ is used for confirmation with the term “indeed.”

[4] Similar verses where the expression فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ are Q. 11:14; 14:21; 21:80, 108; and 40:47.

[5] For similar verses where the expression هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ is used, see Q. 20:40 and 28:12.


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